Photocurrent Response of Two ­Metal(II) Complexes Based on Rigid Ligands

• Published in: European journal of inorganic chemistry 2016-01, Vol.2016 (3), p.322-329
• Main Authors: Zhang, Pan, Gong, Yun, Lin, Jian-Hua
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Crystals; Density; Diffraction; Illumination; Ligands; Optoelectronic properties; Photocurrent; Photoelectric effect; Polymers; Redox chemistry; Silicon; Structure elucidation; Three dimensional; Topology
• ISSN: 1434-1948; 1099-0682
• DOI: 10.1002/ejic.201501114

Two metal(II) complexes formulated as Cd3L(L1)3(H2O) (1) and Zn3L(BTC)2(H2O)·7H2O (2) {L = 4‐[4‐(1H‐imidazol‐1‐yl)phenyl]‐2,6‐di(pyridin‐4‐yl)pyridine, H2L1 = 2,5‐bis(3′‐carboxylphenyl)pyridine, H3BTC = 1,3,5‐benzenetricarboxylic acid} were synthesized and structurally characterized by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Complex 1 displays a two‐nodal (3,7)‐connected 3D architecture with a novel (4.62)(48.610.83) topology, in which a Cd3 unit with a Cd···Cd separation of 3.5 Å is observed. Complex 2 possesses two kinds of Zn2 units, and it shows a (3,4,7)‐connected 3D architecture with a novel (4.62)6(43.66.811.10)2(64.82) topology. Complexes 1 and 2 both exhibit quasireversible redox properties, and a photocurrent could be produced on the two complexes upon visible‐light illumination (650 nm > λ > 350 nm). However, different photocurrent responses were observed on the two complexes, and complex 1 yielded a photocurrent density that was higher than that of the bare Si wafer and complex 2, probably because of different charge‐transfer impedances at the interfaces and charge‐carrier concentrations in the photoelectrodes. Using rigid ligands, two metal(II) complexes are synthesized and different photocurrent responses are observed on the two complexes upon illumination (650 nm > λ > 350 nm). Complex 1 yields a photocurrent density higher than that of the bare Si wafer and complex 2, probably because of different charge‐transfer impedances at the interfaces and charge‐carrier concentrations in the photoelectrodes.